Mercenaries/Session B
20:08 < abudhabi> In any case, let's get this started. 20:09 * Namaphry sits on the bench. 20:09 < abudhabi> Last week, you've jumped to Tonnurad, after becoming outlaws. 20:10 < natsu> ((jee thanks Remmon, now we're outlaws)) 20:10 < Arthur> ((I blame Liam's character)) 20:12 < Ishmael> ((Was technically one already, if only by association)) 20:14 * Arthur is on the bridge when we exit jump, I suppose. 20:14 < abudhabi> You arrive at the 100 diameter limit in the Tonnurad system. It's a trinary system with three gas giants and three rocky planets orbiting two stars in the center, while another star orbits the whole thing in the far distance. 20:14 < Arthur> !2d6+2: Sensors! 20:14 < PainBot> Arthur rolled "Sensors!": (4+1)+2. Total: 7. 20:14 < abudhabi> 100 d limit of the main world, that is. 20:14 < abudhabi> Arthur: Well, you've arrived. Nothing untoward seems to show up on sensors. 20:15 * Arthur sounds jump exit and starts setting a course towards the main world 20:15 * natsu puts away his field manual and starts gearing up. 20:16 < abudhabi> DexPilot+2, then. 20:16 < Arthur> !2d6+2+2 20:16 < PainBot> Arthur rolled "2d6+2+2": (6+5)+2+2. Total: 15. 20:17 < Ishmael> So, shoreleave while you're dealing with your problems Cap'n? 20:18 < Arthur> "Not until the ship's maintained, fueled and ready to go." 20:18 < Ishmael> Without saying 20:19 < abudhabi> You land in the starport without issue; the Imperial Free System of Tonnurad bids you welcome. 20:19 * Arthur goes to defrost their passenger 20:19 < Ishmael> ((Meat popscicle)) 20:21 < natsu> ((mmmmm popscicle)) 20:21 < abudhabi> Arthur: You push a button and deactivate the stasis field. "What's wrong?" asks Adeem. "Anything else we need to cover before we leave?" 20:22 < Arthur> "We just arrived." 20:22 < Arthur> "We did however run into some slight problems. The infiltrator problem you mentioned is a little more widespread than just Ayldem." 20:22 < abudhabi> "Oh?" 20:23 < Arthur> "There was an arrest warrant out for us in the Tobia system, verified by the duke. We evaded capture and diverted to Tonnurad. We'll be meeting a contact of mine here." 20:25 < abudhabi> "Alright. Just tell me who to present the evidence to." 20:25 < Arthur> "I'm going to go arrange a meet now, I should have more information shortly." 20:27 * Arthur goes to arrange a meet now. 20:27 < abudhabi> !roll 1d6*250 20:27 < PainBot> abudhabi rolled "1d6*250": (5)*250. Total: 1250. 20:27 < abudhabi> Berthing fees are 1250 Cr. 20:28 < Arthur> (Consider those paid) 20:28 < abudhabi> Presumably the crew oversees maintenance and orders new soylent green. 20:29 < Namaphry> Life support is nice to have in deep space. 20:30 < abudhabi> Arthur: Your contact happens to operate a warehouse in the capital city here. You call him and arrange for a meeting after hours. 20:30 < abudhabi> !roll 1d6: Time to meet 20:30 < PainBot> abudhabi rolled "Time to meet": (3). Total: 3. 20:30 < abudhabi> That's in three hours. 20:31 * Arthur checks the local weapon laws 20:32 < abudhabi> Personal concealable weapons prohibited. 20:32 < abudhabi> RECESS! 20:33 * Kryzzyx runs to play on the swingset before everyone else hogs it. 20:33 < Kryzzyx> WEEEEEEE! 20:33 * Kryzzyx blows raspberries at the others. 20:40 * Ishmael camps monkey bars 20:43 * Namaphry gets in some tee-ball practice. 20:51 < abudhabi> RRRRRIIIINNNNGG. 20:51 < abudhabi> Recess over. 20:51 < abudhabi> Arthur: The legal system wraps just about everything in red tape. 20:52 < abudhabi> You need licenses, permits, forms and signatures. 20:54 < abudhabi> Day passes for visitors are readily available. 20:54 * Arthur gears up, pistol, sword, vacc suit, cloth armour 20:56 * Arthur arranges visitor permits for the crew, ropes Kryzzyx into being a driver, Natsu and Ishmael can be body guards. 20:56 * Kryzzyx loads up the Speedle II and suits up his armor and gear. 20:57 * natsu gears up, Cloth armour (boooo shitty laws) , mf sword, stunfist, Slug Pistol, Advanced Laser Pistol, Gaiger counter and a few other bits and bats 20:57 < abudhabi> TL11 items, concealable weapons and military weapons, most programs and narcotics are banned. 20:58 < abudhabi> If you want to smuggle these in, roll IntDeception or some other roll you convince me fits. 21:00 * natsu gears up, Cloth armour (boooo shitty laws) , stunfist, and some crap from the locker 21:00 < Arthur> !2d6+3: The sword is ceremonial/ornamental, not even sharp see? 21:00 < PainBot> Arthur rolled "The sword is ceremonial/ornamental, not even sharp see?": (4+5)+3. Total: 12. 21:01 * natsu attemps to smuggle his sword 21:01 < abudhabi> Arthur: The customs official tries it, passes it through. 21:01 * Ishmael smuggles his claws 21:02 * Kryzzyx takes only his legit weaponry and tools. 21:02 < natsu> !2d6+0: err it's a walking stick 21:02 < PainBot> natsu rolled "err it's a walking stick": (4+4)+0. Total: 8. 21:03 < abudhabi> !roll 2d6 21:03 < PainBot> abudhabi rolled "2d6": (3+6). Total: 9. 21:04 < abudhabi> natsu: Customs informs you that while regular melee weapons such as swords are allowed (if carried openly), arc-field and advanced cutting edges are not. 21:04 * natsu heads back to the ship to stow his sword :( 21:05 < abudhabi> Is that all the smuggling you lot want to do today? 21:05 * natsu fantsizes about using a Plasma launcer to clear customs so he can get past fully armed 21:09 * Arthur points the way to the meet 21:09 * Kryzzyx starts driving. 21:09 < abudhabi> The day/night cycle here is strange. It gets dark fairly rarely, according to the cycle of the three suns. Right now, light levels are twilightish, illuminated by the distant yellow dwarf. 21:09 * natsu sits grumply in the vehicle 21:10 < Kryzzyx> "So what's our plan when we get there? Just let the guy do his talking, or do you expect hostility?" 21:10 * Ishmael glowers at the oppressive sun 21:10 * Ishmael (s) 21:11 < abudhabi> Gravity here is about 0.45g. Fun for the heavybones, annoying for Ishmael. 21:11 < Arthur> "Expect the worst." 21:12 < Arthur> "Ishmael, Natsu, take the perimeter. Kryzzyx, stay with the vehicle." 21:12 < Kryzzyx> * "Roger. If I have sight I'll keep an eye on things with the rifle here." 21:13 < Ishmael> perimeter? 21:13 < Ishmael> I don't have a gun 21:13 < Ishmael> If I'm to be useful it'd be in close. 21:14 * Kryzzyx examines Ishmael's hulking frame crammed into the back of the Speedle through the rearview mirror. "A guy your size is always up close." 21:14 < Ishmael> ((Oh babby)) 21:15 < Arthur> "Early warning is better than another melee guy inside." 21:19 < abudhabi> Ten minutes of driving through the back-end of rush hour, you arrive at an industrial district, and shortly find the address. 21:19 * Arthur sends Ishmael and Natsu out 21:19 < abudhabi> It's a walled parking lot with a large adjacent warehouse, with twelve loading doors. 21:20 < abudhabi> There's a guard in a booth at the gate. 21:20 * Arthur gets out to chat with the guard 21:21 < abudhabi> The guard watches you warily. "Yeah?" 21:21 < abudhabi> Perimeter dudes: IntRecon. 21:21 * natsu heads out to find a suitable OP 21:21 * Ishmael clinks up the walls/containers with his claws, not enjoying the weight particularly 21:22 < Arthur> (I assume I have a name for my contact?) 21:22 < abudhabi> Arthur: Your contact is Wayani Nablus. You never met him before. 21:22 < Arthur> "I'm looking for a mister Nablus." 21:22 < natsu> !2d6-3-1: I really need to get to a station where I can buy that damned program! 21:22 < PainBot> natsu rolled "I really need to get to a station where I can buy that damned program!": (6+6)-3-1. Total: 8. 21:22 < abudhabi> "And who're you?" 21:22 < Arthur> "Arthur Steinman." 21:23 < abudhabi> "Aaaaah. Yeah, go on through. He's expecting you." 21:23 < abudhabi> He raises the bar. 21:23 * Arthur waves the car in and heads in himself 21:23 < abudhabi> natsu: You detect no obvious threats. 21:23 * Kryzzyx sticks with the speedle, in the front seat with his rifle at the ready looking out for trouble or signs of an ambush 21:26 * Arthur goes to find the contact 21:27 < abudhabi> Gate #1 is open, and there's light coming out. 21:27 * Arthur figures that's a likely location for the contact and checks it out 21:27 < abudhabi> (You can't actually drive in. There's a raised area, without ramps. 21:27 < abudhabi> ) 21:28 < Kryzzyx> ((persistence pays off. Its like when you get the warthog indoors in halo.)) 21:28 < abudhabi> Kryzzyx: What do? Park? 21:28 * Kryzzyx points out an area he thinks is suitable for parking and looks at Arthur quizically for confirmation before pulling it into an inconspicuous but easy to escape from location. 21:29 * Arthur nods at Kryzzyx's parking location 21:29 * Kryzzyx lets the engine idle and turns off the running lights. 21:30 * Kryzzyx idly flicks the bobble-cenetepede sitting on the dash. 21:30 < Kryzzyx> *centepede 21:30 < Arthur> (Centipede) 21:30 * Ishmael makes clicking sounds while patrolling 21:30 < Kryzzyx> ((that too. :))) 21:31 < abudhabi> Right. Who goes in and who stays out? 21:31 * Kryzzyx stays in the speedle II 21:32 * Arthur heads inside by himself for now 21:32 < abudhabi> OK. You're now in a warehouse. There's an office with the lights on in a corner. 21:33 * Arthur heads towards the office, scanning the warehouse as he goes. 21:34 * Kryzzyx glances at the pinch points of the lot they are in fearing an ambush. 21:34 * Kryzzyx sweats orange. 21:35 < abudhabi> It's full of boxes and crates, and some stuff that's not packed, like a load of timber. 21:36 < abudhabi> The first room in the office is a meeting room. It contains a late-middle-aged man smoking a cigarrette. 21:36 < Arthur> "Mister Nablus?" 21:37 < abudhabi> Nod. "Steinmann?" 21:38 * Arthur nods "Pleased to meet you." 21:38 < Ishmael> ((afk for a bit, going to heat some pizza up for brothers)) 21:38 < abudhabi> He gestures at a chair, one of several. 21:38 * Arthur takes a seat 21:39 < abudhabi> (Adeem Humer) 21:39 < abudhabi> He also presses a button on a box in front of him on the table, and rotates a dial on it to the maximum setting. 21:39 < Arthur> "Room's secure?" 21:40 < abudhabi> "Swept. Jammed." 21:40 < Arthur> "I'll need comms in a minute to call in our passenger, he's the one who uncovered this sordid mess." 21:41 < abudhabi> He nods. "What do you got?" 21:43 < Arthur> "An encrypted tablet with files implicating the Ayldem government. For the sake of security and chain of evidence, it remains locked and encrypted until now, so I haven't been able to verify anything." 21:43 < Arthur> "Of course, the Ayldem government's response to our taking it is all the verification I need to know something is up." 21:46 < abudhabi> He nods again. "Legal case's of no import. Agents on Tobia dead or laying low. Trying to bring in reinforcements, quiet." 21:47 < abudhabi> "Bring the evidence?" 21:47 < Arthur> "Will do, drop the jamming for a moment?" 21:47 < abudhabi> He presses the button. You have comms again. 21:48 < Arthur> @Kryzzyx, come inside, bring the passenger.@ 21:48 < Kryzzyx> @You got it.@ 21:49 * Kryzzyx pulls the car up as close to the entry was as possible before shutting the engine off and getting out. He goes to the back of the ATV to retrieve the passenger. 21:49 < abudhabi> He presses the button again. Comms are eaten by jamming. 21:51 * Kryzzyx yanks the passenger out and locks the car up, then hefts the weight to try and get him inside in the direction he saw Arthur head off. 21:51 < abudhabi> "Hey, not so rough, ma... whatever you are!" 21:53 < abudhabi> Kryzzyx and Adeem make it to the office. 21:54 * Arthur facepalms at the sight of Kryzzyx carrying adeem. 21:54 < abudhabi> Nablus raises an eyebrow at the wogglebug. 21:54 < Arthur> "Really kryzzyx? Put him down..." 21:55 * Kryzzyx nods. 21:55 * Kryzzyx unhands the passenger. 21:56 < abudhabi> Adeem dusts himself off. "Well. That was completely unnecessary." 21:56 < abudhabi> Nablus: "Evidence?" 21:56 * Kryzzyx shrugs. Human customs are weird. 21:56 < abudhabi> Adeem: "Oh, yeah. Got it right here." He fishes out his hand computer. 21:56 < Arthur> "Yes, could you show us the evidence please mister Humer?" 21:57 < abudhabi> Nablus has the passenger sit down and takes out a computer of his own. Data is copied. There's a fair bit of it - in human terms, at least. It'll take some time for a meat-glacier to read and digest it. 22:01 < abudhabi> Adeem helpfully provides a summary: The Zhodani government is funding a psionic institute on Ayldem, which has managed to nab most of the high ranking officials, including the governor. Their new powers have allowed them to remove or coerce everyone else to fall in line. And all this is written down because one of the conspirators has a pedantic bent of recording all expenditures and incomes, along with none-too-cryptic notes attached. 22:03 < abudhabi> Nablus, to Arthur: "Leave him here," he indicates the passenger. "Your ship. How fast?" 22:03 < Arthur> "We've got a Jump-2, enough cargospace to make a second jump if we need to." 22:05 < abudhabi> He frowns. "Not fast enough." He thinks. 22:08 < Arthur> "I doubt the local spaceport has one, but we've got enough space in there to retrofit a jump four, we've already got a powerplant that'll handle the strain." 22:09 < Arthur> "A little over three weeks to get from here to Banskonno, they've got a class A port so they should be able to supply the drive or possibly a faster ship entirely." 22:10 < abudhabi> He nods. 22:10 < abudhabi> "Could work." 22:10 < abudhabi> He fiddles with the computer and projects a starmap on the wall. 22:11 < Arthur> "From there, I figure twelve weeks to Deneb with J-4? Maybe a little less." 22:11 < Ishmael> ((Anywhere close to where my ship and such are docked? also a place that might satisfy Arthur's parannoia about my rank?)) 22:11 < abudhabi> (Any naval base should be able to verify your identity. Your boat's on Ayldem.) 22:14 < Arthur> ((Your boat being on Ayldem will increase my paranoia exponentially)) 22:15 < Arthur> "Of course on such a route, we wouldn't be able to trade to make ends meet. And the jump drive's a big expense." 22:16 < Ishmael> ((Just passing through)) 22:17 < Arthur> ((Prove it)) 22:17 < abudhabi> "Don't need to go all the way. Go to Colony Five. Find agent Romanov. Counter-insurgency already underway. Need new information there." 22:18 < abudhabi> He thinks some more. 22:18 * Arthur traces his route on the starmap 22:19 < Arthur> "That's seven weeks at jump two. Three weeks to Banskonno and three weeks in transit from there with jump four. Four weeks if we can get a Jump four here." 22:20 < abudhabi> "You will. On credit, if necessary." 22:20 < Ishmael> ((Probably will in character blow him off when it happens, "Yeah, I care so much about human politics, and I'm a spy sent to infiltrate your crew.")) 22:22 < abudhabi> "If structure compromised at Colony Five, go directly to Core: war imminent." 22:22 < abudhabi> "Provide crew manifest. Get you new identities tomorrow." 22:22 * Arthur transfers the crew manifest to him 22:23 < abudhabi> He records it. "Good. More?" 22:24 < Arthur> "We'll need a new transponder for the ship. A few cosmetic mods should make us look different enough outwardly and we can avoid any systems travelled by X-boats on the way to Colony five without slowing us down." 22:25 < abudhabi> "Done." 22:26 < Arthur> "Then I have ship modifications to order and oversee. How will you arrange the new identities?" 22:26 < abudhabi> "Courier to starport." 22:26 < Arthur> "Okay. Good tidings to you." 22:27 < abudhabi> He grunts good-bye. 22:27 * Arthur heads out, takes Kryzzyx along 22:28 < Arthur> @Regroup at the gate, we're heading back to the port.@ 22:28 < Ishmael> @Confirmed@ 22:28 < natsu> @Oscar Mike@ 22:29 * natsu carefully heads back to the gate keeping an eye on the warehouse and other surrounding buildings. 22:29 * Ishmael intends to drop into the back from the wall, depending on how high it is 22:30 < Ishmael> ((is it a closed or open vehicle? or do we have a hot convertible)) 22:30 < Ishmael> ((works for me)) 22:30 < Ishmael> ((I could do that)) 22:31 * Kryzzyx unlocks the speedle again and slides into the driver compartment. 22:31 * natsu mounts up 22:31 * Kryzzyx examines the vehicle for anything strange and sets Slick up to do some diagnostic work. 22:31 < abudhabi> Kryzzyx: The vehicle's fine. 22:32 < abudhabi> Right. You get back to the starport. By the time you do, there's already a shipyard rep there who wants to talk to you about your order. 22:32 * Ishmael drops down then swings into the seat from teh side when it comes along 22:32 * Arthur goes to talk to the shipyard rep about their order 22:35 * natsu heads to the ship and gets back into his proper gear 22:36 * Kryzzyx joins natsu onboard to retrieve the rest of his equipment 22:36 < abudhabi> The shipyard here is owned by a Geschichtkreis Sternschiffbau AG branch. The rep tells you that they've got a jump-4 module available, to go with the overall cosmetic refit and re-registration of the ship as part of the Tonnurad Merchant Marine you ordered. New transponder free of charge. 22:38 < Ishmael> ((So it's like an air freshener)) 22:38 * Arthur inquires about the availability of crystaliron armour and beam lasers. 22:42 < abudhabi> Available, but they cost a premium (2x, due to low tech level here). He notes that your credit is good for up to 50 MCr. Anything above that needs to be paid in cash. 22:45 < Arthur> (40MCr for the drive, possible discount from selling our perfectly serviceable old one. 3.2MCr for 4 points of extra armour. 22:46 < Arthur> Two double turrets would cost 2MCr, +2MCr for extra beam lasers to fit in them (They're TL7) 22:46 < Namaphry> Beam lasers are TL7, aren't they? 22:46 < abudhabi> You get half price for your old drive. 22:46 < abudhabi> Ah, in that case they're available without a surcharge. 22:48 < Arthur> Half price for the old drive? Okay, so 30MCr jump drive, 3.2MCr armour upgrade, 2 turrets @ 4MCr, 4 beam lasers @ 4MCr 22:48 < Arthur> !30+3.2+4+4 22:48 < PainBot> Arthur rolled "30+3.2+4+4": 30+3.2+4+4. Total: 41.2. 22:48 < Arthur> Looks good to me. 22:49 < abudhabi> Right-o. 22:49 < abudhabi> !roll 1d6 22:49 < PainBot> abudhabi rolled "1d6": (3). Total: 3. 22:49 < abudhabi> It'll take 3 weeks to get things done. 22:50 * Ishmael plinks away at the computer sections of his comm 22:50 < Arthur> We'll need a Model 3/bis computer for the jump software as well, at 6MCr 22:50 < Arthur> And jump control/4 22:51 < Arthur> Which is only 400k base price 22:51 < abudhabi> The next day, you get your new identities. They even match your species and looks! (Make up your own new names. I'm not going to generate them for you.) 22:52 < abudhabi> Arthur: The shipyard asks if they can get rid of the chemical spill, or if it's structural? 22:52 < Arthur> The chemical spill is not structural, please feel free to get rid of it 22:52 < abudhabi> 100k extra for that. 22:52 < Ishmael> Rapksubaa 22:53 -!- Ishmael is now known as Rapksubaa 22:54 -!- natsu is now known as Luffy 22:54 -!- Arthur is now known as Arthas 22:54 < Rapksubaa> ((Soo is the next one Ichigo or something)) 22:54 < Namaphry> (Is that a popular wogglebug name?) 22:55 -!- Kryzzyx is now known as Krix 22:55 < Krix> oops 22:55 -!- Krix is now known as Kris 22:55 < Kris> short for Kris X. T. Woggle the 3rd. 22:55 < abudhabi> Right. We'll be ending here for today, while Liam is AWOL. Find him, Remmon! Make him roll Broker and stuff. 22:56 -!- Arthas is now known as Remmon 22:56 < Rapksubaa> alright so are we going underway to the place or saving that for next session? 22:56 -!- Rapksubaa is now known as Purelocke 22:56 < abudhabi> Next session. 22:56 < abudhabi> If Liam continues to be AWOL, Namaphry might be joining the game.